Rotary tray



(No ModeL) A. W. STEVENS.

ROTARY TRAY, &o.

No. 327,032. W Zatented Sept. 29, 1885.

WITNESSES N. PETERS. Pholo-Ulhogmphen Wilhingiun, n c

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AMASA WV. STEVENS, OF EAST BROOKFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

ROTARY TRAY, 80C.

SPECIFIGATIGN to in a .5 part of Letters Patent No. 327,032, dated September 29, 1885.

Application filed October 6, 1884. (No model.)

To Cl/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AMASA W. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States, residing at. East Brookfield, in the State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Turn-Tables for Rotary Trays, &c., of which the following is a specification.

Thisinventionrelates,primarily,t0improvements in the construction and mode of operation of anti-friction supports or turn-tables for rotary waiters or trays, as heretofore proposed for use upon dining-tables to facilitate moving different articles to within the reach of a person sittingat one point, or into such proximity to each sitter as may be possible.

The present invention consists, first, in a novel combination and arrangement of parts whereby I produce a very simple and substantially frictionless and noiseless turn-table for rotary trays for general use, adapted also for rotary seats for stools and chairs and other rotary objects for which such a support may be desirable. It consists, further, in a turntable of the aforesaid construction embodied in a peculiar manner in a rotary tray having its top or tray proper and its base of sheet metal. It consists, finally, in a peculiar combination of parts whereby the radial stud shafts or arms upon which the anti-friction wheels ofsaid turn-table rotate are held in pairs in an effective way with great simplicity.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof. Figure 1 of these drawings is an edge view of a rotary tray embodying my turn-table. Fig. 2 is a plan View of all that portion of the same below its top or the tray proper. Fig. 3 represents avertical section on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, with parts behind the plane of section omitted. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a top view and a vertical section of the revolving hub, hereinafter referred to, on a larger scale. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a top view and avertical section of the central pivot on said larger scale; and Fig. 8 is an elevation of the upper part of a stool having its rotary seat supported by a similar turn-table,illustrating other uses ofthe latter.

Ll h e letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

In a rotary tray, as illustrated by Figs. lto 7, inclusive, Iprefer to form the upper and lower bearing surfaces of the turn-table by two circular disks, A r B, of sheet metal, (light sheet-iron, for example,) wired at their edges, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, to stiffen them and keep themtrue. The upper of these disks being the tray proper or the rotary top, and the lower disk the base of the article as used upon a table or other horizontal support,in the manner hereinbefore set forth.

A central pivot, 0, (shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7,) serves, together with a pair of countersunk screws, 00, to unite the disks A B, so that the upper disk, A, shall be supported at its center and free to rotate, and the latter is furthermore supported at numerous points, near its perimeter, so as to rotate freely and noiselessly by means of anti-friction rollers or wheels 10 interposed between the two disks.

These wheels are located as to radial distance from the center and distance apart in one or more circles by means ofradial stud shafts or arms o, preferably of stiff wire, furnished with pairs of collars, between which the respective wheels are confined, except as to rotation, said arms being united by a central annular hub, D, (shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5,) which revolves around said pivot O, and has the in ner ends ofsaid arms clamped thereto so that they project rigidly equidistant from each other. The arms 12 are held in radial grooves 20 in the top of the hub D by means of vertical screws t, one-half as many as the arms in number, fitted to screw-holes sin the hub, and pro vided with washersr, each of sufficient diameter to overlay the inner ends of two a jacent arms. The arms are thus readily secured and tightened, while said radial grooves a insure their proper alignment and distribution. An annular groove. 0, in the top of the hub may coact with bendsat the inner extremities of the arm-wires to preclude their radial displacement; but this is not necessary in a rotary tray, owing to the slowness of its motion.

The wheels w are preferably made of wood, saturated with a suitable lubricant, and japanned to render their exterior smooth and non-adhesive, and they are preferably made of the peculiar shape represented in the'draw- IOO ings, so as to have broad bearings on the arms 12, and at the same time narrow treads to preclude binding or friction at their peripheries. They are, moreover, preferably arranged in two circular series, as shown, and in practice I omit theinner wheels on alternate arms as unnecessary in tabletrays; but these details are not considered essential parts of my present invention.

Supported at its center by said pivot G, and at numerous points between its center and perimeter on anti-friction wheels, which are free to rotate and also to revolve, as are those above described, the upper disk, A, though it be of sheet metal, rotates freely, and is adapted to sustain even heavy and unevenlydistributed articles, and to provide for moving them bysimply turning the upper disk or tray from one point to another, or from one side of the pivot to another, so as to facilitate reaching them or to bring them nearer to any given point, and a rotarytray thus constructed may be used with great, advantage, not only upon dining-tables. as heretofore proposed, but for supporting flower-pots at windows, for holding the work-and tools of watch-makers and other artisans, and for various other useful purposes.

The turn-table, in substance, may also be embodied in other articles in which a horizontal rotarypart is or may be used, such as stools, chairs, and like articles of furniture, as illustrated by a stool in Fig. 8. This stool has a.

rotary seat, S, the bottom of which and a parallel fiat base top beneath the same are provided with fiat metallic disks A B, corresponding as to main function with the aforesaid disks A B, the same being united at-the center and the upper disk supported at .numerous points between its center and perimeter byanti-friction wheels, the latter mounted base-disk, a central pivot and anti-friction wheels for supporting the top disk, nor to mount such wheels on radial arms carried by an annular revolving hub. I therefore disclaim these features of my turn-table, broadly considered.

Having thus described my said improvement in turn-tables for rotary trays, 850., I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification 1. An improved turn-table for rotary trays and other articles composed of flat horizontal disks, a vertical pivot with a pair of screws uniting said disk and. supporting the top disk at its center, an annular hub adapted to revolve freely around said pivot, radial arms carried by said hub and provided with collars, and anti-friction wheels mounted between said collars on said arms for supporting said top disk at numerous points near its perimeter, substantially as herein specified.

2. The combination, in a turn-table for rotary trays, of a pair of fiat sheet-metal disks having wired edges, and forming, respectively, the rotary top and the base of the tray, avertical pivot with a pair of screws, uniting said disk and supporting the top disk at its center, an annular hub adapted to revolve freely around said pivot, radial arms carried by said hub and provided with collars, and anti-friction wheels mounted between said collars on said arms for supporting said top disk at numerous points near its perimeter, substantially as herein specified.

3. The combination, in a turn-tablerfor rotary trays and other articles, substantially as herein specified, of arevolvinghnb constructed with radial grooves fitted to radial arms, ver-,

t' ical screws between successive pairs of said grooves, and washers for said screws, each said arms for aligning, distributing, and rigidly uniting the said .arms in the manner set forth.

' AMASA w. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. FoRBEs, ELI Forums.

adapted to overlay the inner ends of two of 0 

